Critical Chain Method

Critical Chain Method (CCM) was introduced by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. This is the
application of the theory of constraints to project management. Critical Chain Method,
according to PMBOK, is a schedule method that allows the project team to place buffers on any
project schedule path to account for limited resources and uncertainties.

The objective of the CCM is to remove or minimize extra or hidden buffers added to
each task time estimate to be on a safe side. Instead of bloating the task estimates, feeding
buffers and/or project buffers are added instead.

Critical Chain Method scheduling can also reduce the following typical problems
encountered by Delayed Projects.

1. Multitasking- working on more than one task concurrently

2. Student Syndrome-Team members wait till the latest start date to begin the task,
thus, consume most of the hidden buffers

3. Parkinsons Law- states that work expands to fill allocated time. People has
the tendency to adjust their pace to just make the scheduled finish date. This
happens if there is no incentive for finishing the work early.





















Sample Application of Critical Chain Method.
To easily grasp the concept of Critical Chain Method in project management, a scenario will be
created to compare the traditional critical path method to critical chain methods.

Scenario: A Project management team has been contacted by centennial college to build
bicycle parking station for students. The team is currently at the scheduling phase and are
trying to determine what approach of scheduling network analysis to use.

Task Successor Duration (days) Resource Lag
Task A Task B 8 Juan 0
Task B Task C 4 Preetinder 0
Task C Task E 2 Guprit FS+4
Task D Task E 6 Angie FS+1
Task E - 10 Dave 0

CPM method:






Project duration with CPM = 28days.


CCM method:








Critical chain method Vs Critical Path method:
In the scenario above with CCM the project duration is 18 days, which is a good
reduction in comparison to CPM. Thus critical chain method can help to reduce time
needed to do the project, utilize resources effectively, and focuses on both critical and
noncritical tasks (Dwivedi n.d.).


Task A Es=0,
Ef=8,D=8.
R=Juan

Task C Es=12,
Ef=14,D=2.R=
Guprit

Task B Es=8,
Ef=12,D=4.
R=Preetinder

Task D Es=0,
Ef=6,D=6,
R=Angie.

Task E Es=18,
Ef=28,D=10.
R=Dave

FS+4days
FS+1day
s
Task A Es=0,
Ef=4,D=4,Ls=0,
Lf=4. R=Juan

Task C Es=6,
Ef=7,D=1,Ls=6
, Lf=7.
R=Guprit

Task B Es=4,
Ef=6,D=2,Ls=4,
Lf=6.
R=Preetinder

Task D Es=0,
Ef=3,D=3,Ls=9,
Lf=12.
R=Angie.

Task E Es=7,
Ef=12,D=5,Ls=7
, Lf=12. R=Dave

PB= 6days
FB= 1.5days
Reference
Dwivedi, U. (n.d.) Critical Path Method and Critical Chain Project Management.
Retrieved from http://www.refresher.com/CriticalChainProjectManagement.pdf.